Intercontinental Cup: Ireland complete innings victory over UAE

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Ireland's Andrew Balbirnie celebrates taking a catchImage source, Inpho
Image caption,

Ireland captured 11 UAE wickets during the third day's play at Malahide

Intercontinental Cup, Malahide (day four of four)

Ireland: 492 (118.3 overs) Joyce 231, Stirling 146

UAE: 213-8 (71.3 overs) Anwar 57 & 253 all out (100 overs) Patil 63

Ireland needed just four balls on Friday to seal a convincing win against the UAE on the final day of their ICC Intercontinental Cup match at Malahide.

Craig Young dismissed Muhammed Naveed with just two runs added to the UAE's overnight total as the hosts completed victory by an innings and 26 runs.

It took the Bready opening bowler's match haul to 7 for 110.

Ireland took maximum points to join Namibia, whom they meet later this year, at the top of the table.

As a result of changes to the structure of international cricket announced by the ICC in January 2014, the winner of the Intercontinental Cup will be given a chance to become a Test nation.

The Intercontinental Cup champions will play four five-day matches against the bottom ranked Test nation, two home and two away matches, in an event known as the ICC Test Challenge 2018.

Should the winner of the Intercontinental Cup go on to win the ICC Test Challenge, they will become the eleventh Test nation.

Image source, Inpho
Image caption,

Spinner George Dockrell has passed the 100-wicket landmark for Ireland

The Irish claimed an extra half hour on Thursday in an attempt to wrap up the game inside three days, but the UAE finished the day on 251-9 in their second innings.

They still needed another 28 runs on Friday morning to make Ireland bat again but after scoring two runs off the third ball of the opening over, Naveed was well caught by Dockrell to put the finishing touches to an inevitable result.

Like Young, spinner George Dockrell also took seven wickets in the match, including his 100th for Ireland.

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